Shopping for the first day – clothing
[UPDATE: There have been incredibly good and information-packed contributions in the comments to this post - go check them out!]
You signed your contract, you hopefully took a good vacation, maybe you even moved to a new town – now you are getting ready to become a consultant. Awesome!
Of course, by now, you have the consultants’ lifestyle all figured out… and you decide it’s time to go shopping to get the right gear for your newly found life on the road. This post and the next one should give you some input on what to get, what to spend money on, and what you can safely put on your “someday/maybe” list. Let’s start it off with clothing.
Clothing
I am so sorry, but this is written from a man’s perspective, so I’ll talk about ties and stuff… if any consultant girls are up to add some female touch here, let me know in the comments! Being dressed well is part of the job, so you should pay attention to your wardrobe. When starting out, it’s all about the basics - you can still go fancy later on. The general aim is to be well-dressed, but still blending in within all sorts of corporate environments.
- Suits:
Go for darker colors, though it does not need to be all black. Dark grey works always, dark blue most of the time. Pinstripes? Might work. No patterned stuff, no shiny red-carpet tux… you get the idea? Plus, single colored dark suits work with the widest variety of shirts. Two suits are minimum, three are better. Don’t be guided by the brand – no one can see that, anyway – but rather look for the best fitting suits that you can find. Honestly: The most expensive suit is worth nothing if it does not sit on your shoulders right. Go for wool, avoid linen and synthetic fabrics like the plague. The former wrinkles like hell, the latter looks cheap and gets smelly faster than you can draw that last-minute waterfall chart. - Shirts:
Plain colors preferred. White is a no-brainer, light blues are a charm as well. Stripes are alright, but they narrow down your choice of Suit-Shirt-Tie combinations drastically. Go for collars that sit comfortably, especially if you are not used to wearing a shirt for extended periods of time. Those of you who had the pleasure of a “the collar is so tight I almost choke myself when swallowing” day at work know what I mean. Go for pure cotton. Iron-free shirts aren’t really, anyway, and most often you buy that label with a high percentage of synthetic fiber, which most of the time makes the fabric harsher against the skin. Again, brand names do not really matter, though shirts from H&M, Zara etc. tend to wear out rather quickly. But so does BOSS, for that matter… No button-downs, that might be too casual in a few places. When it comes to the cuffs, the opinions are split. Of course, the traditional cuff with cufflinks does look swell… but they always, always, always rattle on your laptop when you are chewing away on the PowerpExcel. Simple buttoned cuffs don’t. Your choice. Get at least 7 shirts, 10 are better, and chances are you already have a few that are suitable anyway. - Shoes:
Simple and black gets you the furthest. Leather, obviously. I do wear brown shoes at work, as well, but that doesn’t fly with some clients (or employers)… so black is your safest bet. Go for classic cuts – you’ll be wearing them a lot, and you don’t want to be known as “Mr. Fancyfeet”, right? Get some shoes that are comfortable to walk in. If possible, get two pairs and change them daily. It will make them last a lot longer. Plus, especially with shoes, learn to take good care of them (see also “treat your ties and shoes with respect”). - Ties:
Silk ties are the preferred option. For me personally, the tie is where I can get some color in the game, but you shouldn’t go too flashy. Simple stripes and patterns or plain colors – god forbid you wear that Micky-Mouse tie to work that you got as a christmas gift when you were 12! I know, you love it… but this is not the place. When you keep your suits and shirts in plain colors each, matching a tie to your outfit is really easy. My personal role is to have two parts striped, max – but it might be better to go with the “1 striped part max” rule. I mean… you know what they say about men in general and their sense for fashion? Just play it safe, that’s all I’m saying. - Socks:
Black black black black black black black. No patterns. Did I mention BLACK? OK, you got it. If you want to decrease stress, buy them in bulk, so that you can put together any two black socks you get out of the washing machine. Some might argue that only calf-high socks are the real deal…if you are comfortable in them, go ahead. They should, in any case, be long enough to avoid showing pale consultant-skin when the pants rise up. - Belt:
Matching the shoes. Simple buckle. This is not the time to wear a fashion statement around your waist (or slogans, for that matter. Which reminds me, I should wear my “use your brain” belt this weekend
). ‘Nuff said. - Underwear:
Are you kidding me? C’mon!
In the next post, I’ll cover some essential gear that will make your life on the road a whole lot easier.
This is the second post in the “Consulting 101″ series, dedicated to give an overview of the first steps into consulting – from having scored an offer to the first time on the job. You can find the first post, “You got the offer, now what?” here.
21 comments
An important thing to add: go get some new clothes from time to time – particularly if your old suits start to look haggled, the last dry cleaning could not remove those nasty stains on your tie any more, or if your shirt collars turns from white to a shade of ivory or beige – even after washing.
Half of this job is about show business – and show business is half about your appearance. However, this is more of a hygene factor – an shrill or croaking voice or stenching body odours will most often leave a slightly negative first impression on others – regardless how impeccable you might look in your clothes.
White tees for beneath the shirt:
Depending on your taste, climate and the quality of your shirt, you might want to wear a tee beneath your shirt.
Choose them carefully, as there is no use in investing in nice shirts and then wearing low quality, hard feeling cotton on your skin.
V-Neck are usually the better choice, as the risk of seeing the tee when your tie is open is lower or zero.
Be careful with "basic white tee", as basic also relates to the cut/style and means that it is a somewhat roomy, comfort shaped style. If you wear a up-to-date, slim fit shirt, the basic tee might be too big and kill the cool look of your slim fit shirt.
Another, often underestimated thing to ensure your comfort during a long day at the desk: sufficient length! If the tee is too short, it will slip out under your shirt.
A reasonable price for a decent quality and cut is somewhere between 5 and 15 euro for a somewhat slim cut white tee. Also, choose one with some spandex mixed with cotton. 10-15 % of spandex would be a good choice, but you even feel the difference with only 5% spandex.
When you wash it, avoid high temperatures (not higher than 40, better 30°C), but you will realize that the spandex means it will stay silky and more comfortable even after some months of washing.
To add: A good source for low-priced, decent quality tees are dealers who sell shirts for being printed, especially shirts for enterprises to be printed or stitched with brands etc. These dealers often offer highest price/quality ratio.
Shopping tips for shirts & Suits:
Shirts
WIth shirts, you can save a lot money and still get good quality, and especially a good cut by buying retail brands. With shirts, the brand premium is most obvious as it is not that difficult to design a good shirt and produce it with a good fabric. When you would pay (German prices) 60-80 € for a good shirt from a brand, you get a similar cut with equal quality fabric for 40-50.
Go for "tailored", "custom fit" or "slim fit". Tailored and custom basically means that the arm pitches are higher and narrower, giving the shirt a more tailored look and feel and looking much more up-to-date. Slim fit depends on your size and is especially a good choice if you need a large number because of the collar but would need smaller size for body and arm lengths.
Regarding the style of the collar: Go for spread or extreme cutaway (in Germany: shark collar) if you want to be more up-to-date. If you like it and your work environment allows, try to orientate yourself at Italien Style. However, if you are under 1.80meters tall, you might want to choose the more classy point collar (Kent) collar. Cutaway might make you look broader than you are.
Shirts should be of a fabric that it NOT transparent! Otherwise you ALWAYS have to wear a tee beneath. Better choose a slightly thicker fabric.
If you wear no tie: Choose button down.
Suits
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WIth suits, it is more difficult to save money. However, you can also save money money by buying retail brands. However, nice brands with a good price/quality ratio offer usually a slightly better cut and better quality in terms of details. Fabric does not necessarily differ. 300 euro is a reasonable price for a decent quality with a nice, up-to-date cut. With suits you can save a lot of money by buying at factory stores.
Choose a slim cut for a more up-to-date look with 2 buttons. However, 3 buttons on the jacket are more traditional but also safer when the long days/years at the desk did not allow for a certain frequency of sporting activities
Shoes:
DO INVEST IN SHOES!
You spend hours in them and your feet will be grateful if you buy a decent quality pair of shoes. Goodyear welted indicates the way they have been produced and is a pretty good compromise between standard (only glue) and hand-made, made-to-measure shoes, which are between very and extremely expensive.
150-250 Euros are a normale price for a decent quality pair of shoes. Buy 2 pairs, treat them nicely (clean and polish every 2-3 weeks or more frequently when it is wet outside) and you will have a far better solution than buying cheap shoes and replacing them every year. Good shoes should not be treated by self-shining cream/whatever and the sole should be replaced if needed (every 2 years for me). If you give them to the shoe-repair guy and have him place a very thin rubbar sole underneath to protect the stitching, the shoes will look and feel like new for many years.
That's another reason why you should go for more classy design in shoes.
just my 2 cents regarding shirts:
… it might be noteworthy to mention that short-armed shirts are simply not an option! No! No! Never! … it's summer? It's darn hot? You wonder if you should wear that short-armed shirt today? Sure.. go ahead! Why don't you put on some matching bermuda shorts and your beloved sandals as well??
So… no short-armed shirts!
Well,… it might be an option… depends on the dress code of the company you're working for. Still… you better make damn sure it's alright to wear 'em before you do so.
Any suggestions on good shoe brands that are both comfortable and look good?
Since the author didnt elaborate on the "Underwear" section, I would like to say that it ok to go Commando every once a while.
As a female who has had lots of young men as staff I often notice that the fresh out of college set are guilty of the following:
- Iron the shirt! The best looking shirt looks like crap if it hasn't been ironed.
- Skimping on the undeshirt. They will wear a screen printed white tee inside out under their dress shirt. It doesn't work, we can still see the imprint of the print through your shirt. Invest in some decent undershirts.
- Men and women are both at fault on this one, but since this post is directed at men, please wear pants that fit. If you start to gain the extra 20 in the first few months of consulting please quit buttoning your pants below the gut and go buy some new pants.
- Hem pants to the appropriate length. If I can see your socks while you are standing then your pants are too short.
Get Goodyear-welted ones. Most comfortable ever and indestructible. Allen Edmonds, Church's… For economy shopping, try T. M. Lewin, also perfect for shirts (double cuffs, please…).
One word about suits: Have them custom-made or have off-the-rack suits adjusted in store. Can't beat that. Also, go for double vents, they look classy and stop your jacket from crumpling if have to sit in it all day.
Well, as for the "visible socks while standing": It might well be that they are just extremely stylish.
Those "highwater" pants are really up-to-date, but as I see it, it's not to be "done" in the job.
Regarding socks: If you want to be really classy, wear knee socks.
And yes, of course: ironed shirts are compulsory! shouldn't be necessary to mention it, though.
Guys (&girl), thanks so much for all those great contributions! Icebear, Ingo, Benjamin, Road Warrior, travelgirldc – you rock! I'm adding a note at the beginning of the post to make sure everyone has a look at the additional material you put together here in the comments.
Keep 'em coming!
Florian
[...] up on the last Consulting 101 article, “Shopping for the first day – clothing“, today let’s have a look at the gear for your weekly travels to the client side. [...]
I might as well drop my grain of salt on the matter: being a big nerd, I tend to be quite precise in the way I dress…
First of all, thanks to Florian for mentioning the "1 striped part max" rule (I've seen managers turn up with pinstripe suit, striped shirt and regimental tie… Argh). Depending on your employer, striped shirts and striped ties might be a no-no, so don't overdo it.
In general I find very valuable (and incredibly, I tend to agree with) everything that's written in the post: the next step (assuming you can dress decently) would be matching the features of your garments to your body type.
If you're quite tall, or quite thin, or both, you should have a wide, more spread-out collar, a slightly wider tie with a wide knot (no, I didn't say "loose", I said "wide", as in half Windsor, Windsor or even Balthus knot), a double-vented suit with three buttons, and wear your trousers regular at the waist (as in, non low). Basically you should avoid to give a "vertical" quality to your outfit.
Similarly, if you're not very tall, a bit heavier, or both, you should have low, narrow collars, prefer narrow ties and knots (four in hand, Pratt or half Windsor knots), single-vented suits with two buttons, and (in absence of a considerable belly) wear your trousers a little lower. This is to give that "vertical" quality to your outfit.
In case you have no idea what the knots I talk about are like, either FGI (best practice) or refer to http://www.totieatie.com.
As for shoes, alternating pairs really does make a difference: you give the shoe time to cool and dry off, and your feet have more time to adapt to a new pair. Please note however that the welting does not automatically make a good (or bad) pair of shoes. Goodyear-welted shoes are the most durable, arguably the most comfortable shoes you can build (Church's, anyone?); however, you can easily spend in excess of 400 euro on a pair of fantastic Blake-welted shoes, and you wouldn't have wasted your money.
I'd go on rambling on why, if you are giving a talk or if you are the one who must "steer" a difficult meeting, you're going to want to wear a white shirt and a bright tie with a big knot, while if you know you're invited to a meeting full of big-shots to take notes you'd better wear a blue tie with a small knot (and try to blend in the wallpaper while you draft the minutes), but I'll leave the pleasure to the good Florian, who I'm sure has already it all planned (along with a post on shaving, haircust and general grooming, I'd wager).
Oh, and FYI I've just bought online 12 (identical) pairs of black socks, since I was running a bit thin
[...] Original post: Shopping for the first day – clothing | Killer Consultant [...]
Thanks for contributing travelgirldc. Can you (or anyone) make any recommendations for must have clothing for women? It would be greatly appreciated!
[...] 1. Wear something that looks good and makes you feel confident – never underestimate the power of first appearances. Dress like a consultant, and you’ll look like you belong. Great post on consulting dress code here [...]
I think that all of the posts have been great and they go into great detail about the tips.
I would only like to add a "best practice"…
It is very important to INSPECT your clothes every now and then. Even the best shoe/tie/shirt/suit suffers from regular wear and tear. Check out for: hard to detect stains, small holes in fabric, collar wear in shirts, etc.
thank you for talking about the pants' length. I think it's also very important that they are not too long. I you are rather short and the "mass" pant's go too much over your shoes so that they look like an accordion – please go to a tailor to shorten them . it's just 10-12 euros investment, but will make you look better then the vast majority!
best,
Excellent post and nice comments. I'd like to add, TM Lewins crease like nobody's business in my experience. Don't know whether it's just cos I'm short or if other people find the same problem with the material.
Tend to find, saville row shirts are quite nice, the full cotton herringbone ones. Key is to get something well fitting that doesn't crumple in the wrong places.
Also, I'm really put off when guys where suits that are just way tooo tight. Different story when it comes to girls of course but that's a separate matter.
I've also put together a similar post geared mainly towards graduates and interview dress with visual aids! : http://consultinggrad.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/st...
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